Interesting LE

[Ken The Kanuck]

Turner proto-type semi auto

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oOgw59_lt7o

KTK

[bruce]

Nice oddity. From viewing the video... would be a nightmare in the field for cleaning/maintenance, etc. Forgotten Weapons does put up so nice stuff. Sincerely. bruce.

[JB White]

Ouch! At 16:51 you can see a very fresh chip out of the forend.

Glad he mentioned the Charlton because that's what came to my mind when the video began. I think Canada made the correct decision not to adopt it. The No4 rifle was out of the gates by then and the M1 was available from south of the border if need be. Rounding up all the SMLE's available wouldn't have been prudent during the war.

Remind me to double check that my M1's are in a different safe from my SMLE's. I've seen what might happen if left alone to breed!

[Sunray]

Brits(and everybody else) tried to convert their bolt actions to semi-auto during and just after W.W. I. No money for R&D. Brits were bankrupt after W.W. I.
Four different attempts. Ekins Automatic Rifle, Howard Francis Self-Loading Carbine, Howell Automatic Rifle and the FA only Rieder Automatic Rifle. Charlton did his in 1941 New Zealand, but for the same reason.

[JB White]

The earlier rifles had a lot of external plumbing. (A steampunk fans dream come true.) The concept was there and it worked, but practicality was nil with too much to go wrong on the battlefield.
Off the top, the closest thing I can think of to being a practical conversion was the US Pederson device.